Reflections: An early history of Naish

Some early history of Naish can be evidenced by the fossils and later knapped, flint tools which are to be found on the beach and in the cliffs under Naish Farm.

Barton on Sea came to the attention of Swiss geologist Karl Mayer-Eymar (1826-1907). He hypothesised that areas around the world with similar geology and fossils were of the same geological age. He became aware of the magnificent fossil specimens that were being discovered in Barton and acquired some for his personal collection.

Mayer-Eymar classified the geological formation of Europe into twelve different stages. One of the stages he named Bartonian and it is still known by that name today.

The Victoria County History of Hampshire published in 1904 records that the Manor of Naish along with Chewton belonged to Christchurch Priory at the time of the dissolution of the monasteries between 1536 to 1541.

Other provenance suggests that for many centuries Naish was farmland. In 1775 there is a record of a Peter Jackson as the overseer for the farm.

In the publication ‘Miltoniana’ there is a note that in 1835 the rateable value of Naish farm was £245, 17 shillings and 5 ½ pence. The ratepayer was named as William Porter. This gives us some idea of the size of the farm.

The 1841 tithe allocation book shows that by then Naish Farm was owned by William Green esquire but occupied and used by Edward Williams Senior.

There was a considerable amount of lawlessness in the Naish area and along the south coast of Hampshire from the early 1700s through to the late 1800s. Much of this was caused by smuggling. To give some idea of the amount of smuggling in the area, the first coastguard station was built at Cowes on the Isle of Wight, a second at Hurst Spit, another at Lymington, and another at Barton Cliffs, with a further station at Christchurch.

In addition, there were revenue men known as Riding Officers posted to locations in the area. These men patrolled the coastline on horseback and kept watch for landing parties and smuggling vessels in the offing. They would then ride to the nearest coastguard station and pass on the information.

John Bursey was the Riding Officer for Milton. One night in 1780 there was a loud knocking on the door of his tide cottage in Chewton Glen. On opening the bedroom window to find out what the commotion was about, Mr Bursey was informed that the men wanted to show him a cache of smuggled goods which they had located in the Glen. As soon as he stepped outside his front door, he was immediately set upon and so severely beaten that he soon afterwards died of his injuries.

In 1825 Naish Farm and an area of the undercliffs known as Lobb’s Hole was recorded in both the local and national newspapers as the scene of a skirmish between revenue men and smugglers. The revenue men, about five or six in number, drew their pistols in self-defence when attacked by between 50 and 60 sixty smugglers.

Shots were fired and a local man, James Read, was mortally wounded. An inquest, held in the Wheatsheaf Inn, with a jury made up of friends of the deceased, ruled that Read had been wilfully murdered by the customs men.

The officer and senior non-commissioned officer were sent for trial at Winchester assizes. The officer was found guilty but the NCO was acquitted. It later transpired the jury had been illegally directed by smugglers as to what verdict to return. The officer was later pardoned and went on to have an illustrious career in the Royal Navy.

There appears to have been a frequent turnover of owners or occupiers at Naish as evidenced by the census returns. In 1861 it was recorded that the head of the household at Naish was John Robertson, a farmer of 225 acres employing ten men, three boys and two women.

In 1871 Naish Farm and Chewton Mill was occupied by Richard Ovil. He was described as a farmer of 227 acres employing five men and 11 boys. In the 1881 census, Chewton Mill was recorded as being separate from Naish Farm which was then run by a bailiff called George Hibdage. The farm was described as 220 acres in size.

In 1891 the farm was run by Edmund Joy and his family. He was still in residence in 1901, by which time the farm had become known as the Chewton Joy Estate. Edmund died in 1904 and the farm was inherited by his son, Henry.

The first reference linking Naish to camping and leisure was published on page 5 of the ‘Christchurch Times’ on 12th August 1905. It reported the tented campsite at Naish Farm was blown down in bad weather.

When Henry Joy died in 1906, his executors tried to sell the farm in 1906 and again in 1909. Historian Arthur Lloyd recorded that the estate was eventually purchased by a Mr Alfred Harmsworth.

From 1917 to early 1921 a William Van Hoytema tried to establish a flight training school at Naish and carried out wireless telegraphy experiments. Large aerials were erected in a field at Naish.

In the 17th January 1920 edition of the ‘Hampshire Advertiser’ a notice was published of an application for a licence to sell alcohol at the Hinton Admiral Aerodrome Estate, formerly known as Naish Farm.

Mr Van Hoytema was declared bankrupt in April 1921. There is a memorial stone on the north side of a bungalow in Sea Road, Barton on Sea, commemorating the ground to air wireless experiments.

In 1921 Naish Farm was put up for auction. There is some confusion surrounding the purchase and a possible attempt to resell the estate later in the year. Newspaper advertisements gave the date for the auction of Naish Farm as 13th October 1921. A little detail of what was for sale is recorded.

Lot 1, a freehold dairy farm, farm house, buildings and 218 acres. Lot 2, Barton Cliff Cottage and eleven acres. Lot 3, building land fronting on to Barton Lane of about nearly nine acres.

In ‘The Swanage Times and Directory’ dated 29th October 1921, there is a brief announcement that Naish Farm with 218 acres had been withdrawn from their sale on 13th October and was sold by private treaty. There is no mention of what happened to Lots 2 and 3.

Naish Farm was probably purchased by Mr John Burry, of the Hoburne Farm estate to the west of Highcliffe. On 19th November 1921 in ‘The Hampshire Advertiser’ is a notification that Messers Hankinson and Son announced the sale of Naish Farm, Highcliffe.

Although no contemporary media reports have yet been located that link John Burry to the October 1921 purchase of Naish Farm, it is most likely that he did purchase it at that time and then offered it for sale either as a whole or as separate portions of land in November 1921. Correspondence shows that Mr John Burry sold off sections of the eastern side of the Naish Farm estate in 1923 to four separate purchasers - Mr Kemsley, Mr Stable, Mr Seal and Mrs D’Arcy.

Naish Farm continued as an agricultural concern for some time after the initial purchase in 1921 by Mr John Burry. An advertisement found in the ‘Western Gazette’ dated 17th February 1922 records a Mr W. Groves as a tenant at Naish Farm, offering advice to prevent foot and mouth disease.

An advert in the ‘New Milton Advertiser’ of 20th February 1929 identifies a company called Norbury, Abbott and Griffiths running a business at Naish making garages and portable buildings.

In the 1920s some residential properties were built at Naish Farm. The ‘Hampshire Advertiser’ of 29th June 1929 reported in some detail two bungalows catching fire. Of interest in this report is that the Naish Farm community was referred to as a ‘colony’.

Later reports record John Burry being asked by New Milton Fire Brigade to provide portable asbestos screens to place between a burning cottage and its neighbour to prevent fires spreading in the future.

‘The Hampshire Advertiser’ of 9th Sept 1929 published offers of pleasure flights from Naish Farm for 5/ a ride. Other newspapers report that these proved to be very popular.

The ‘New Milton Advertiser’ of 5th October 1929 reported on an end of season party for the Naish Farm Summer Resorts Tenants Association. It was recorded that there was a fancy dress football match, a party for the residents aged under 14, and dancing for the adults with about 150 turning up. The event was held in a barn on the farm.

In the 1930s, bungalows were being sold at Naish Farm and some people appear to have become owner occupiers. Other bungalows were bought then leased out by the owners. Some incomers to the area took long leases on chalet bungalows and caravans.

Advertisements for Naish in the 1930s refer to it as a resort or holiday camp and extol its ideal location. Some local papers reported that Naish Farm was used as a camp site several years running for groups of scouts and the Boys Brigade. Often the scouts came from London to sample the delights of the countryside and the sea.

The growing size of Naish Farm holiday resort appears to have caused concern in some quarters. ‘The Hampshire Advertiser’ of 15th October 1932 reported a Lymington Council debate over a refuse tip that had been created at Naish. This was considered to be a health hazard by the council, with a Dr Woods writing a report that “there was a danger of the farm becoming a centre of infection owing to the method of refuse disposal”. The newspaper reported that the owners of Naish Farm had closed down the refuse dump and there was no further action taken.

Newspaper reports and other documents show that Naish Farm was increasingly used as a holiday resort prior to World War Two. The 1939 register was compiled on the outbreak of war. It was used to issue national identity cards and ration books and was kept up to date until after the war ended.

Naish Farm had its own register book consisting of 17 pages listing the dwellings at Naish and their occupants. Eight acres of land were taken over by the War Office in 1940 and used as part of the coastal defences, including a mine field which was laid in Chewton Glen.

Post war the site became increasingly used as a holiday camp and farming was phased out.

Naish has developed considerably in the last 100 years, as can be seen in this 1898 OS map overprinted onto a modern-day aerial photo.

The long history of Nash or Naish is fascinating and shows how it has been transformed from a farm to vibrant holiday resort.

Nick Saunders is a local historian and chairman of the Milton Heritage Society. He can be contacted via nick@miltonheritagesociety.co.uk